You've already mentioned some of the ones that first came to my mind: Congressman Zadock Pratt, potter Nathan Clark, Henry Meiggs, Thurlow Weed, Milton Hannibal Smith of the Louisville & Nashville Railroad, and Maggie Newton Van Cott, the first woman licensed to preach in the Methodist Episcopal Church. New York State Governors Lucius Robinson and Washington Hunt were both natives of Windham. Francis Burns, the first African-American missionary bishop, was born in Albany County, NY but raised in Windham. He served in Liberia, Africa and died in Baltimore, MD. Rev. Levi L. Hill, who was born in Athens and preached in New Baltimore and Westkill, invented color photography. Levi and his brother, Robert, were also the publishers of "The Baptist Library," which I believe was the first magazine published in Greene County. They worked in Westkill, then moved to Prattsville after Col. Zadock Pratt provided them with a building, printing press, type foundry, and homes for their families. In 1859 brothers Alonzo and Boliver Newbury of Windham, and later of Coxsackie, invented a hand printing-press. In 1885 Jefferson Mead of Windham invented a carpet-stretcher. Author Clinton R. Seeley of Hensonville wrote the novel "Storm Fear". Actor Cornel Wilde starred in, produced and directed the movie based on this book. This was the first movie screenplay written by Horton Foote whose next movie project, "To Kill a Mockingbird," earned him an Oscar. Syndicated cartoonist Scott Adams, who created the comic strip Dilbert, hails from Windham. He was the first cartoonist to put his email address in a comic strip. Henry Fish of Windham started out as a photographer. After moving to Carpenteria, Santa Barbara County, CA, he began cultivating lima beans. In 1876 he founded the Fish Seed Company. Descendants of the Clarks, who were associated with Isaac Singer, donated property and continue to support the various foundations in Cooperstown, NY including the Farmers Museum, Fenimore Art Museum, the Baseball Hall of Fame, and the Mary Imogene Bassett Hospital, as well as the Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute in Williamstown, MA. During my senior year of college I did my museum internship at the Clark Art Institute. US Secretary of War and US Secretary of State, Henry Lewis Stimson (1867-1950), was a descendant of Windham's first settler, George Stimson. As for scoundrels, we can omit Prohibition-era gangster Jack "Legs" Diamond. He was born in Philadelphia, PA and died in Albany, NY. He was only a part-time resident whose hideout was located in Acra. One vile creature we can't disown was Isaac Haight of Windham. He became a Mormon and took a leading role in the September 11, 1857, Mountain Meadows Massacre in which a band of about 120 emigrants on their way to California were murdered. Haight and his coconspirators intended to blame the Indians for the attack. Visit the Town of Windham Historical Society's Facebook page and become a fan. http://www.facebook.com/pages/Town-of-Windham-Historical-Society/46527396938?ref=ts

To everyone out there, what a great response! And, I have learneed alot! Many thanks folks! Sylvia ----- Original Message ----- From: <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Friday, January 23, 2009 7:58 PM Subject: Re: [NYGREENE] Greene County famous sons (and daughters) > > You've already mentioned some of the ones that first came to my mind: > Congressman Zadock Pratt, potter Nathan Clark, Henry Meiggs, Thurlow Weed, > Milton > Hannibal Smith of the Louisville & Nashville Railroad, and Maggie Newton > Van > Cott, the first woman licensed to preach in the Methodist Episcopal > Church. > > New York State Governors Lucius Robinson and Washington Hunt were both > natives of Windham. > > Francis Burns, the first African-American missionary bishop, was born in > Albany County, NY but raised in Windham. He served in Liberia, Africa and > died in > Baltimore, MD. > > Rev. Levi L. Hill, who was born in Athens and preached in New Baltimore > and > Westkill, invented color photography. Levi and his brother, Robert, were > also > the publishers of "The Baptist Library," which I believe was the first > magazine > published in Greene County. They worked in Westkill, then moved to > Prattsville after Col. Zadock Pratt provided them with a building, > printing press, type > foundry, and homes for their families. > > In 1859 brothers Alonzo and Boliver Newbury of Windham, and later of > Coxsackie, invented a hand printing-press. > > In 1885 Jefferson Mead of Windham invented a carpet-stretcher. > > Author Clinton R. Seeley of Hensonville wrote the novel "Storm Fear". > Actor > Cornel Wilde starred in, produced and directed the movie based on this > book. > This was the first movie screenplay written by Horton Foote whose next > movie > project, "To Kill a Mockingbird," earned him an Oscar. > > Syndicated cartoonist Scott Adams, who created the comic strip Dilbert, > hails > from Windham. He was the first cartoonist to put his email address in a > comic > strip. > > Henry Fish of Windham started out as a photographer. After moving to > Carpenteria, Santa Barbara County, CA, he began cultivating lima beans. In > 1876 he > founded the Fish Seed Company. > > Descendants of the Clarks, who were associated with Isaac Singer, donated > property and continue to support the various foundations in Cooperstown, > NY > including the Farmers Museum, Fenimore Art Museum, the Baseball Hall of > Fame, and > the Mary Imogene Bassett Hospital, as well as the Sterling and Francine > Clark > Art Institute in Williamstown, MA. During my senior year of college I did > my > museum internship at the Clark Art Institute. > > US Secretary of War and US Secretary of State, Henry Lewis Stimson > (1867-1950), was a descendant of Windham's first settler, George Stimson. > > As for scoundrels, we can omit Prohibition-era gangster Jack "Legs" > Diamond. > He was born in Philadelphia, PA and died in Albany, NY. He was only a > part-time resident whose hideout was located in Acra. > > One vile creature we can't disown was Isaac Haight of Windham. He became a > Mormon and took a leading role in the September 11, 1857, Mountain Meadows > Massacre in which a band of about 120 emigrants on their way to California > were > murdered. Haight and his coconspirators intended to blame the Indians for > the > attack. > > > Visit the Town of Windham Historical Society's Facebook page and become a > fan. > > http://www.facebook.com/pages/Town-of-Windham-Historical-Society/46527396938?ref=ts > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message